Yielding reed



E. C. NICHOLS YIELDING REED Filed Nov. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

JulyZO, 1937. c. NICHQLS I YIELDING REED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 5, 1956 INVENTOR. EDWAED c. Nash 01.5.

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ATTORNEY.

Patented July 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT cries Draper Corporation, ration of Maine Hopedale, Mass, a corpo- Application November 3, 1936, Serial No. 109,016

6 Claims.

The present invention pertains to looms and more particularly to yielding reed mechanisms for shuttle looms.

Looms of the type to which my invention pertains commonly include a reciprocating lay, a rearwardly yieldable reed, spring means for supporting the reed against rearward yielding when the lay is back from its forward position and the shuttle is in flight, and means for freeing the reed from the action of the spring means, to permit rearward yielding of the reed when the lay is forward and the reed is in contact with the fell of the cloth. As previously constructed commercially, the reed was commonly fixed in a movable structure such as a reed frame, a reed supporting member was movably mounted on the lay, and the spring and spring releasing means were so constructed and arranged as to be capable of acting on the supporting member only through the medium of interposed parts such as a rod, collar and pivot joint.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide, in a loom having such reciprocating lay, yielding reed and reed structure, a movable reed supporting member which engages the reed structure, a spring acting on such member for firmly supporting the reed when the lay is back, and a hunter positioned to engage the member for releasing the reed structure as the lay approaches its forward position, whereby the above-mentioned interposed parts may be eliminated.

The aforementioned and other objects of the invention are accomplished in the construction illustrated on the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a view in cross-section taken approximately on line ll of Fig. 3, showing the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the lay in its forward position with the reed in contact with the fell of the cloth;

Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation, of a part of the lay and reed and the reed controlling mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a View in front elevation of the mechanism shown on Fig. 3.

The drawings show only as much of the loom as is necessary to a complete understanding of the present invention. the parts of the loom not shown being of any suitable usual construction. Of the conventional parts of the loom, there is shown the breast beam 1 which is a fixed part of the frame located at the front of the loom, and a part of the lay assembly, hereinafter called the lay. The lay comprises lay swords, as 2, carrying a lay beam 3. shuttle box i, and a reed 5. The lay reciprocates toward and from the front of the loom in. the usual manner. The

warp sheet W feeds forwardly through the reed, 5

and as the picks of filling thread are formed they are beaten into the fell F of the cloth C by the reed.

The reed 5 is mounted on the reciprocating lay but is capable of rearward movement relative thereto. To this end, the reed may be fixed in a movable reed frame. the reed structure comprising the reed and reed frame being preferably pivoted to the lay swords. In the embodiment shown on the drawings, the reed frame consists of a hand rail 6. a bottom rail 1 and end brackets 8 connecting the hand rail and bottom rail. This reed frame is pivoted on horizontal studs or bolts 9 Well above the plane of the cloth C.

A relatively light spring means for continuously resisting rearward movement of the reed conveniently consists of a. series of bolts it (only one of which is shown) spaced along the lay and coiled springs, as H. bolt ll] engages behind a plate E3 on the bottom rail l, and the coiled spring ll surrounds the forward end of the bolt and is compressed between the lay and adjusting nuts it on the bolt. The force exerted by the springs I i should be just enough to cause the reed to properly beat in the picks of filling while still permitting the reed to yield rearwardly to compensate for irregularities in the filling or in the position of the fell.

The present invention provides a simple and effective means for firmly holding the reed in place when the lay is back from its forward position and the shuttle is in flight. To this end, a spring-actuated member is slidably mounted on the lay for movement forwardly and rearwardly into and out of engagement with the reed structure. By reason of the forward and rearward movement of the member. the latter may be constructed and positioned to directly engage the reed structure, thereby eliminating interposed parts which were required in prior constructions. I further provide a stationary bunter for engaging this member and positively moving the same away from the reed as. the lay approaches its forward position.

In the embodiment shown on the drawings, the member I5 for holding the reed consists of a bolt which is positioned approximately horizontally immediately below the lay beam 3 and is axially slidable, forwardly and rearwardly, in a The head E2 of the Iii) bearing It on bracket ii. The bracket ll may be fixed to the lay beam reinforcing member 18 as shown. The member it extends rearwardly through a hole in the depending end l9 of an end bracket 8. A projection on the member l may be conveniently formed by a nut 2t threaded onto the rearward end of the member. The nut 29, when the member is in its forward position, engages directly behind the end it, while rearward movement of the member relative to the lay will move the nut rearwardly out of engagement with such end.

A spring 2! acts on the member if; to urge the latter forwardly into holding engagement with the reed frame. This spring may be coiled around the member and compressed between the head 22 thereon and the bracket ii on the lay beam. The spring 2i is relatively strong, whereby the reed is firmly held against rearward movement when the lay is back from its forward position. Means for moving the member iii rearwardly out of holding engagement with the reed structure may be provided by a stationary bunter 23 fixed to the breast beam in position to engage the head 22 as the lay approaches its forward position. The member and associated parts may be duplicated at the other end of the reed, such duplicate parts being not shown.

Fig. 1 shows the lay part way back on its rearward beat, before the shuttle (not shown) has started its flight. The continuously acting springs ll tend to hold the reed structure for wardly relative to the lay. At this time, the head 22 of the member i5 is free of the hunter 23 and the spring 2! holds the member forwardly with the projection (nut 2%) in engagement with the reed structure. Thus, the strong spring 2i and the springs Ii act to firmly hold the reed structure in place when the lay is back from its forward position.

From the position of Fig. 1 the lay moves rearwardly and then forwardly to the position of Fig. 2. Just prior to the time when the lay reaches the position of Fig. 2, the head 22 strikes the hunter Z3 and the hunter prevents further forward movement of the member 55 with the lay. Thus, when the lay reaches its forward position, Fig. 2, the member l5 has been moved rearwardly relative to the lay, and the reed structure entirely freed from the action of the member 25. The reed is then free to pivot rearwardly on stud 9, against the action of springs ii, in beating the filling thread into the fell of the cloth.

Having fully disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. A loom having a reciprocating lay and a yielding reed mechanism comprising a reed structure mounted on the lay for rearward movement relative thereto, spring means for continuously resisting said rearward movement of said reed structure, and additional means for further resisting said rearward movement of said reed structure only when the lay is back from its forward position; said additional means comprising a, member slidably mounted on the lay for movement forwardly and rearwardly into and out of holding engagement with said reed structure, a spring urging said member to its forward position, and a stationary hunter positioned to be engaged by said member and thereby move the latter rearwardly as the lay approaches its forward position.

2. A loom having a reciprocating lay and a yielding reed mechanism comprising a reed and reed frame mounted on the lay for rearward movement relative thereto, spring means continuously resisting said rearward movement of said reed frame, a member engaging behind said reed frame, said member being slidably mounted on the lay for movement forwardly and rearwardly relative thereto, a spring yieldingly holding said member forwardly in supporting relation to said reed frame, and a stationary bunter positioned to engage said member and move the same rearwardly out of said supporting relation to said reed frame as the lay approaches its forward position.

3. A loom having a reciprocating lay and a yielding reed mechanism comprising a reed and reed frame mounted on the lay for rearward movement relative thereto, spring means continuously resisting said rearward movement of said reed frame, a member mounted on the lay for movement forwardly and rearwardly into and out of supporting engagement with said reed frame, a spring yieldingly holding said member forwardly in said supporting engagement with reed frame, and a stationary bunter positioned to engage said member and move the same rearwardly against the action of said spring as the lay approaches its forward position.

4. A loom having a reciprocating lay and a yielding reed mechanism comprising a reed frame mounted on the lay for rearward movement relative thereto, a reed fixed in said reed frame, means yieldingly resisting said rearward movement of said reed frame, a member slidably mounted on the lay for movement forwardly and rearwardly into and out of supporting engagement with said reed frame, a spring interposed between the lay and said member and yieldingly holding the latter forwardly in said supporting engagement with reed frame, and a hunter positioned to engage said member and move the same rearwardly against the action of said spring as the lay approaches its forward position.

5. A loom having a reciprocating lay and a yielding reed mechanism comprising a reed frame mounted on the lay for rearward movement relative thereto, a reed fixed in said reed frame, spring means continuously resisting said rearward movement of said reed frame, a rod mounted on the lay for axial sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly relative to the lay, said rod having a projection which engages behind said reed frame when the rod is forward, a spring acting on said rod to hold the same forwardly with said projection in firm engagement with said reed frame, and a hunter engaging said rod and moving the rod and projection rearwardly relative to the lay and reed frame as the lay approaches its forward position.v

6. A loom having a reciprocating lay' and a yielding reed mechanism comprising a reed frame mounted on the lay for rearward movement relative thereto, a reed fixed in said reed frame, means yieldingly resisting said rearward movement of said reed frame, a rod mounted on the lay for axial sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly relative to the lay, said rod having a head on its forward end and a projection engaging behind said reed frame when the rod is forward, a coiled spring surrounding said rod and interposed between said head and the lay for urging said rod forwardly with said projection in engagement with said reed frame, and means for moving said rod and projection rearwardly against the action of said spring each time the lay approaches its forward position.

EDWARD C. NICHOLS. 

